Morning journal and courier., 1887-12-07

| the knowledge of my countrymen as well as
to their representatives charged with legisla
| tive relief, the gravity of our financial situa-
| ton. The failure of Congress hereto
fore to provide against the dangers which it
| was quite evident the very nature of the
| difficulty must necessarily produce caused a
condition of financial distress and apprehen-
sion, since your last adjournment which
taxed to the utmost all the authority and
expedients within executive control, and
these appear now to be exhausted. If disas-
ter results from the continued inaction of
Congress the responsibility must rest where
it belongs.
Though the situation thus far considered
is fraught with dangers which should be fully
realized, and though it presents features of
wrong to the people as well as peril to the
country, it is but result growing out of a
perfectly palpable and apparent cause, con-
stantly reproducing the same alarming Cir
cumstances-a congested national treasury
and depleted monetary condition in the
business of the country.
THE TARIFF.
It need hardly be stated that while the
present situation demands a remedy, we can
only be saved from like predicament in the
future by the removal of its cause. Our
scheme of taxation, by means of which this
needless surplus is taken from the people and
put into the public treasury, consists of a
tariff or duty levied on importations from
abroad, and internal revenue taxes levied on
the consumption of tobacco and spirituous
and malt liquors.
It must be conceded that none of the things
subjected to internal revenue taxation are,
strictly speaking, necessaries; there appears
to be no just complaint of this taxation by |
the consumers of these articles, and there
seems to be nothing SO well able to bear the |
burden without hardship to any portion of !
the people.
But our present tariff laws, the vicious, in |
equitable and illogical source of unnecessary
taxation, ought to be at once revised and |
amended. These laws, as their primary and |
plain effect, raise the price to consumers of |
all articles imported and subject to duty by
precisely the sum paid for such duties. Thus
the amount of the duty measures the tax
paid by those who purchase for use those i'm
ported articles. Many of these things, how
ever, are raised or manufactured in our own
eountry and the duties now levied upon for-
Eeigp goods and products are called protec
ton to those home manufacturers, because
they render it possible for those of our people
who are manufacturers to make these taxed
articles and sell them for price equal to
that demanded for the imported goods that
have paid customs duty. So it happens, that,
while comparatively few use imported arti
cles, millions of our people, who never use
and never saw any of the foreign products,
purchase and use things of the same kind
made in this country, and pay therefor
nearly or quite the same enhanced price
which the duty adds to the imported articles.
Those who buy imports pay the duty charg-
ed thereon into the public treasury, but the
great majority of our citizens who buy do
mestic articles OF the same class pay sum
at least approximately equal to this duty to
the home manufacturer.
This reference to the operation of our tariG
laws is not made by way of instruction, but
in order that we may be constantly reminds
ed of the manner they impose burden upon
/ n
as those who consume imported articles and
thus create tax upon all our people.
It is not proposed to entirely relieve the
country of this taxation. 1t must be extern
siYely continued as the source of the govern
ment's income; and in q read justment of our
tariff the interests of American labor engaged
in manufacture should be carefully consider
ed, as well as the preservation of our manu-
factures. It may be called protection or by
any name. but relief from the hardships and
dangers of our present tariff laws should be
devised with especial precaution against i'm
perilling the existence of our manufacturing
interest. But this existence should not mean
a condition which, without regard to the pub
lie welfare or a national exigency, must al
ways insure the realization of immense
profits instead Of moderately profitable re-
turns.
AS the volume and diversity of our nations
al activities increase, new recruits are added
to those who desire a continuation of the ad
vantages which they conceive the present
system of tariff taxation affords them. So
stubbornly have oil efforts to reform the
present condition been resisted by those Of our
fellow citizens thus engaged that they can
hardly complain of the suspicion entertained
to a certain extent that there exists an organ
lied combination all along the line to main
tain their advantage.
AMERICAN LABOR.
We are in tie midst of centennial celebra-
tions, and with becoming pride We rejoice in
American skill and ingenuity, in American
energy and enterprise, and in the wonderful
natural advantages and resources developed
by century's national growth; yet when an
attempt is made to justify a scheme which |
permits tax to be laid upon every consum-
er in the land for the benefit of our manufae- |
turers, quite beyond a reasonable demand for
governmental regard, it suits the purposes of
advocacy to call our manufactures infant in
dustries still needing the highest and great |
est degree of favor of fostering care that can
be wrung from federal legislation. 1t is also
said that the increase in the price of domes-
tic manufactures resulting from the present |
tariff is necessary in order that higher wages
may be paid to our worklngmen employed
in manufactures than paid for what is
called the pauper labor of Europe. All will |
acknowledge the force of an argument which |
involves the welfare and liberal compensa-
ton of our laboring people. Our labor is
honorable IN the eyes OF every American cltl-
zen, and as it lies at the foundation of our |
Development and progress, it is entitled, |
without affectation or hypocrisy to the utmost |
regard The standard of laborers' life |
should not be measured by that OF any other |
country less favored, and they are entitled to |
full share of all our advantages |
By the last census it is made to appear |
that of the II, 1892. .099 of our population en- |
gagged in all kinds of industries 1870, ,493 are |
employed in agriculture, 4,074, ,236 in pro |
fessional and personal services, 2, ,934, 676 of |
whom are domestic servants and laborers,
while ], ,S10,25 are employed in trade and
transportation. and 1887, ,112 are classed as |
employed in manufacturing and mining.
For present purposes, however, the last |
number given should be considerably re- |
dueed. Without attempting to eaumerate |
all, it will be conceded that there shonld be |
deducted from those which it includes 375,- |
143 carpenters and joiners, 285, ,401 milliners, |
dresspakers and seamstresses, 172, ,726 black |
smiths, 133, 756 tailors and tailoresses. 102,- |
473 masons, 76, ,241 butchers, Al ,309 bakers, |
%, ,083 plasterers and 4, ,991 engaged in man |
ufacturing agricultural implements, amount |
ing in the aggregate to ,214, ,O23, leaving $685.